The Damsel has a love-hate relationship with caffeine. She does love to be able to think straight, er, straighter. A little caffeine makes her feel awake, able, smarter. But at the same time, that awake/smarter feeling seems fake–like it’s cheating somehow–life from a bottle instead of naturally.
It’s interesting to know that the stuff has been around a long, long time. It’s definitely old school. According to the fount of wisdom, Wikipedia, people have been getting that buzz since the Stone Age. Plus, the Damsel was surprised to know how many people indulge. It’s said that 90% of North American adults feel the joy every day.
The drug of choice is generally looked upon as harmless, although not everyone agrees, especially historically. In 1911, the U.S. government tried to force Coca-Cola to remove caffeine from its formula by claiming that use of Coca-Cola at one girls’ school led to “wild nocturnal freaks, violations of college rules and female proprieties, and even immoralities.”
The Damsel guesses they needed something to blame the wild nocturnal freaks on. Maybe they didn’t realize college girls are naturally nocturnal and freaky, with or without Coke.
You can get that caffeine hit several ways. The amount of caffeine varies wildly from item to item. Even just within the coffee category, caffeine contents range from 60 mg in 16 0z. of certain instants, to 75 mg in a single ounce of Starbucks expresso.
Black and green teas have 75-120 mg caffeine. The longer you steep it, the more zing. Ice teas have only 15-18 mg.
How about soda pop?
- Mountain Dew: 54 mg
- Mello Yello: 53 mg
- Diet Coke: 47 mg
- Dr Pepper: 42-44 mg
- Sunkist Orange: 42 mg
- Pepsi: 36-38 mg
- Coke: 35 mg
- A&W Cream Soda: 29 mg
- Barq’s Root Beer: 23 mg
- A&W Root Beer: 0 mg
- 7-Up: 0 mg
- Sprite: 0 mg
and those infamous energy drinks?
- No Name (formerly known as Cocaine), 8.4 oz: 280 mg
- Monster Energy, 16 oz: 160 mg
- Full Throttle, 16 oz: 144 mg
- Enviga, 12 oz: 100 mg
- No Fear, 8 oz: 83 mg
- Rockstar, 8 oz: 80 mg
- Red Bull, 8.3 oz: 76 mg
- AMP, 8.4 oz: 74 mg
and **cringe** chocolate? Say it ain’t so!
- Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate, 1.45 oz: 31 mg
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, 1.55 oz: 9mg
Did you know many headache medicines include caffeine? That’s because caffeine makes them 40% more effective in relieving headaches and helps the body absorb headache medications more quickly.
The Damsel heard you can even buy caffeinated soap. What next?
And lastly, if you have any intention of being initiated under a Hindu guru, you’ve got to kick the habit. You must have had no caffeine (along with alcohol, nicotine and other drugs) for at least a year. Who needs Pepsi when you can have enlightenment instead?
(help and inspiration from this article on wisebread.com)
NO THANKS!!!!!! I’m so not used to it that a few sips means I’m wide awake ALL night! I’m in that 10% I guess.
Don’t get me wrong, it just isn’t my drug of CHOICE. I’m also allergic to my choice, but it’s worth the ITCHING!! Sometimes anyway.
Lately Benadryl is the drug of choice, even when I don’t make a choice that causes itching.
Except that chocolate doesn’t contain caffeine, but rather something that is often confused with caffeine: theobromine. Theobromine is a stimulant, but it is different than caffeine and the body reacts in a different way. This article does a great job of explaining it.
Thank you for this very insightful article!
Thanks, Jennifer, it will make me feel better for the next time I grab a handful.
I will take my chocolate flavored!
I think the sugar or artificial sweetner is as bad for the body as the caffeine.
Who needs Enlightenment? I just need to stay awake! My daily can of Diet Vanilla Pepsi is what keeps me going in the morning, knowing that if I am a very good girl and get all my chores done, I get to have one for lunch.
I’ve actually never had a caffeinated drink before. Crazy right?
But I get plenty of it from chocolate! That’s for sure!
I am not a fan of caffeinated drinks. They make me sleepy. Yes, I am aware that is opposite of what they are supposed to do, but what can I say?
My husband, on the other hand, would love a Diet Pepsi IV. Maybe I can get him one for his birthday!
I’m not a soda drinker, but I am a chocoholic!! Big time!! At times of major melt down, I will go grab a big handful of chocolate chips. (Like when the kids pour a whole box of rice krispies on the floor.) I also keep dark chocolate chips in my closet, and other such candy.
My mother always kept caffeine in the house for miagranes. That was the only time it was drunk growing up. My husband, however, should just get his diet coke in an IV, it would be easier that way.
REALLY? Oh wow.
caffeinated soap? I LOOOVE me some Diet Dr. Pepper OR Diet coke.
And don’t even get me started on dark chocolate.
YUM.
Coming from our special group follower group from MMB!
Love your blog!
New follower here! CAn’t wait to meet you!
The only headache medicine that works for me is Excedrine.
I gave up caffeine about 9 months ago, after having my first panic attack. Caffeine and anxiety are heavily linked. I started drinking it a bit again, in the past month, and last week, started having racing heart beats.
There might be something to that whole Word of Wisdom thing, I guess. Who knew?
Exactly what *is* a nocturnal freak? I need to know if I have them.
And, are you supposed to lick the caffeinated soap?? That’s the perfect way to get your potty-mouthed children good and hyper.
Thanks for the comment on my blog!
I saw this post over on MMB and stopped by. That was really interesting, and for me, very timely. I got on caffeine for the first time in my life 3 years ago when a new baby decided sleep deprived parents were funny. Once on it, I have had a really hard time going off and realized that I needed it to too much. I’ve been off for a week and am feeling much healthier.
Coke makes a great cleaner, too. You can use it to get burnt gunk off pans, or blood off cement, and to scrub toilets. Still sound appetizing?
I think the carbonation and (as mentioned) sugar and artificial sweeteners are just as bad for you as the caffeine. And the acidity of soft drinks will erode the enamel on your teeth.
On the other hand, chocolate, I’m pretty sure, has medicinal properties. I know it always makes me feel better…